MEXICO — A public hearing will be held in Augusta on Jan. 31 on a local lawmaker's proposal to make Maine one of a few states in the country to set aside a day to honor Vietnam veterans.
State Rep. Sheryl Briggs, D-Mexico, has submitted a bill to the State and Local Government Committee of the Legislature to designate March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day.
“My ultimate goal is to eventually see this as a national holiday,” she said.
On a personal level, Briggs advocates for the state to adopt a Vietnam Veterans Day because her brother and many of her relatives and friends served during the Vietnam War. She also realizes that many Vietnam veterans were treated poorly when they returned home.
Mexico resident Dwight Murphy, a Vietnam veteran and former paper mill employee, asked Briggs to submit the bill. Other local veterans have spoken to her about setting aside the day.
Murphy served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1973, including a stint in Vietnam, and six years in the Reserve.
“We had no formal welcome home,” Murphy said. “This day would be for all Vietnam vets, male and female. It would be our own day.”
He learned from a friend that Utah has a Vietnam Veterans Day and he thought Maine should also have one.
He said the names of 347 Maine residents who were killed in action are listed on the Vietnam walls in Augusta and in Washington, D.C. Another 14 are listed as prisoners of war or missing in action.
Briggs said nine states have a Vietnam Veterans Day and many more are considering the designation.
The state Senate lead sponsor of the bill is John Patrick, D-Rumford. At least eight other state representatives and senators, of both political parties, have lent support.
March 29 was chosen as the day to honor Vietnam veterans because it was the date in 1973 that the last 2,500 U.S. ground troops left Vietnam.
Briggs said special days are set aside to honor World War I, World War II and Korean War dates.
Testimony will be taken at 10 a.m. in Room 214 of the Cross Building, which is directly across from the State House.
If possible, those who testify should bring 20 copies of their testimony.
“I would love to see the state Capitol overrun by veterans and supporters on Jan. 31,” Briggs said.
Report a correction
Vietnam Veterans Day
Although I appreciate the intent and sentiment behind Rep. Briggs's proposed bill, I too, as a Vietnam veteran, do not feel a special day should be set aside on a yearly basis to honor my fellow Nam vets. ALL veterans are honored on Veterans Day, Novemver 11.
I understand her and others' feelings about rectifying the injustice done to many Vietnam veterans who did not receive the "welcoming home" other veterans from other wars have had bestowed upon them.
Peoples' perceptions of Vietnam vets are quite different now than they were 40 plus years ago. Today's soldier has reaped the benefits of lessons learned from those shameful years of name calling and wrongly subjected dishonor to our American fighting men and women who served during the Vietnam War.
Maybe a one time "Welcome Home" celebration for all Maine, Vietnam veterans would be a better way of righting a wrong. I do not feel that a yearly, Vietnam Veterans Day, is in order.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Veterans day is Veterans day,
Veterans day is Veterans day, period. It is a day set aside to honor ALL of our veterans. If we start breaking this out into seperate wars and conflicts and so on it will be become a meaningless day of mention...probably used to promote car sales or such, and that's about it. Leave it alone.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Viet Nam Veterans Day
This is a B.S. campaign. I too am a 'Nam vet, and a Past Commander of an American Legion Post. We Already Have A Veterans Day For Viet Nam Veterans ,,, It's Called Veterans Day. This has to be one of the dumbest things to come before the house if it get that far. True, we got short shafted when we came home, but we were instrumental in changing opinion of the civilian and even in many cases WW!! veterans. Don't go overboard in enlisting sympathy or whatever it is your looking for. We've done our duty
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (4)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Good bill,most appropriate
Good bill,most appropriate one I've seeen presented in awhile.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2) Agree (5)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.